Carnival Ride
by Mecha-Merestation
Summary: Narugami watches Skuld as they visit a carnival. Naru-Skuld pairing.


**Carnival Ride**

_You're in my stars you know  
Don't need no crystal ball to tell me so  
Whispering in the air  
Hoping that my words find you somewhere  
Even when I close my eyes  
I'll never recreate the Time that flies  
The consequence is hanging there  
The sky will fall but I don't care__  
_

The day had ended strangely for Narugami. After a long day at school and the grueling part-time job, the night was a welcoming breeze, one of the notably quiet times in life where everything slowed down, and one could do as he pleased and, following that, a fitful sleep among the cozy bedclothes till the next morning.

It was not often that something would go his way. This was definitely not one of those blissful days.

The chilly night breeze proved to be colder than usual, sweeping up brown unsightly dust and dumping them on his new black shoes. It was not often he bought something new. But it happened too often that something he'd recently bought would be ruined in a while. It was all a matter of time.

Speaking of time, he checked his watch: it was ten-thirty. At this hour he would be at his desk, facing his homework, and pondering about acceptable excuses to use on his teachers the next day. It was all Loki's fault that he was leading an eager Norn halfway through town to a bustling carnival and waiting for her at the carousel, holding her ice-cream in one hand, Mjollnir in the other and paying for every ride that she goes on. (The Norn had insisted that she pay everything out of her own pocket, but that didn't feel right to him.) Loki had made him do it, and since he had always paid the Trickster a visit to grab a free meal, another one, with dessert this time, wouldn't go very wrong. Or so he thought. The Norn was his responsibility for now, and much like a child she had peered here and there with a curious air at the neon lighting, the dust that floated up every time a new ride began, and listening to the sounds the things around her made, regardless of whether it was music, or just the creak of worn connections. Things like these were not always present in Valhalla. In fact, Narugami, or Thor for that matter, could not remember a time when carnival rides, or even a simple swing, had even existed up there during his childhood.

The sickeningly sweet smell of cotton candy hung in the air like a thick woolen blanket on his growing impatience. It made him want to throw up.

He would not be annoyed. He was, after all, a nice guy.

With the last jerk and a final creak, the carousel slowed to a stop, the lights dimmed, the music paused. The laughing children clambered out en masse to their waiting parents. The Norn, however, lingered, staring almost wistfully at the children as they were led out of sight. Then with a playfulness that matched her bubbly personality, she leapt down from the wooden horse and onto the grass, brushing imaginary dust from her dress, flicking her long blond hair away from her shoulders.

She caught sight of him and waved madly. "Thor-san!"

He left his station by the fence surrounding the ride and strolled towards her.

"Can I have another go? Please please?"

"I though you wanted the Ferris wheel, Skuld-san."

"Oh, that's right." She relieved him of her ice-cream and scurried off.

--

The Ferris wheel wasn't very impressive, but what did he expect it would look like? Its age showed through despite the fresh coat of paint. The overly bright colours looked rather spooky in the dark: such colours were a better sight in the day, but the neon lights managed to persuade him that this was really a night ride. If Skuld saw something unnatural, she did not look like she did. Still as excited as she was since fifteen rides (and three hours) ago, the state of the wheel didn't bother her as much as it did him. A ride was a ride, and being a Norse god, it was not until now that she had the luxury (and the correct currency) to go for something like that.

"Would you like to try too, Thor-san?" She raised her bright eyes to him, a hopeful smile on the corners of her lips. "It's harmless, really."

The owner of the ride nodded quickly. "You can sit with your girlfriend." He felt his face glow hot; the others didn't seem to notice. The Norn just grabbed him by the arm and hoisted them both into the next empty capsule. The wheel began to move.

Looking out the glass-paned window, the ground was getting further with each second passing. A while later the grass melted into an expansive sea of green, and the people became spots. Then it stopped moving.

Skuld was rather alarmed. She looked around quizzically. "Why isn't it moving?"

"Well, it will stop for a while. It's for people to, uh, look at the scenery or something like that," said Narugami. "Though there isn't much to see at the moment," He added. Then they lapsed into uncomfortable silence. Skuld looked out the window. Occasionally she strained and even tried to stand up to get a better view of…whatever that had gotten her so interested, though the safety belt prevented her from doing so. Defeated, she sank back into her seat and continued peering out the glass. Narugami has spent the part of his time scrutinizing the inside of the capsule, convinced there was nothing worth looking at beyond its confines. It was in rather good shape, to say the least, or some repairs would improve its condition. The metal frames were rusting a little, though.

And he still wasn't sure what to make of this woman sitting directly opposite him, absorbed in the sights outside.

--

It was eleven-thirty when at last they departed the carnival ground. "No more," Skuld had said, and then yawned in total submission to the Demons of Sleep. "I'm so sleepy…"

He had asked if she wanted to take the bus, but she had said no; she'd rather walk home "even if her feet blistered horribly". So off they went.

The night air was void of sugary smells. He sucked in a fresh breath of air; his lungs seemed to appreciate it.

But still he wondered about the woman, now strolling beside him, matching his walking speed. It was not like he…liked her. Or anything at all. He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. This didn't make as much sense as he thought.

His charge wasn't paying much attention to him, it seemed like he was melting away from her vision as well. She continued to peer at the sky, lost in dreams.

Oh well. There was Loki's house. Standing apart from the other stout houses like a mountain among the hills.

And like the surprises of this world, no one saw anything coming till it did.

She hugged him tightly, with her arms wrapped around his back, knocking the breath and all sense out of him.

"Thank you, Thor."

Then she let him go, turned tail and swiftly entered through the open door.

Inside, she stopped, then turned around slowly.

"Good night." She waved, and her shadow disappeared within the house.

Outside, another gust of wind picked up speed, blowing away fallen leaves. Narugami grinned to himself, and began a leisurely ambulation to his living quarters.

When he visits Loki's house tomorrow, there would be something else to look forward to.

_Meet me beneath my balcony and say  
No one but you could ever fill my night  
Be the sunlight in my every day  
Underneath my balcony I'll say  
No one but you could ever fill my night  
Be the sunlight in my every day_

Author's Note: This is my first time writing fanfiction with a pairing. Just thought Naru and Skuld would look really sweet together. Lyrics are from the song 'Juliet', by Emilie Autumn.


End file.
